LOS ANGELES — That, Todd McLellan said, was easily his team’s most disappointing game of the season.

Considering that stinker in Columbus, that’s a pretty damning statement.

Much of this is covered in the print edition story just filed, but if that 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings was enough to get a more direct response out of Joe Thornton, I figure it warrants a post-game posting here, too, before the rental car and I take I-5 to Orange County to be better positioned for tomorrow’s practice there.

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More on Thornton later. First, McLellan:

“How frickin’ (NOTE: he actually said frickin’, not the comparable epithet) disappointing is that. We play against the Stanley Cup champions back to back, we’re lucky enough to win one in San Jose and we come here and you’ve got to think they’d be chomping at the bit and ready to go.
What a great opportunity for our team to test themselves collectively, but also individually.

“Do I belong in the NHL? When I look across, can I outplay the guy that I lined up against? And we had a lot of passengers, so disappointing, so disappointing.

“They should be ready in there. there’s not a better motivating factor than the guys with the Stanley Cup logos on their jerseys next door.

When a goalie gets pulled, it’s often to send a message or simply motivate the rest of the team. Tonight, it was also a message to Niemi.

“They scored on the first shot. When you need a save early in the game, they scored on the first shot. They got the momentum rolling from there. but there were a lot of other people involved in all 60 minutes, not just Nemo.”

So does the fact Niemi gave up four goals (at least two of which were of the softer variety) on 18 shots make it harder for McLellan to decide who gets the start Monday night in Anaheim? You may be surprised at the answer.

“You’re asking me that question way too early now. We’ve got to go back and watch the game. Obviously we still really believe in Nemo. He’s an elite goaltender and he’s been one of the best this year. We’ve got to look at what’s going right and what’s going wrong in his game. But there’s a lot of people around him that were passengers.”

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Is McLellan worried about his team’s makeup, that the players weren’t more motivated?

“It happens. It happens in the NHL,” McLellan said. “It happens throughout years. You’ll have games where you just have to throw the tape away. I’m just really disappointed that this is one of those games.”

Back to Thornton. No, he didn’t tear into anybody. But it was as critical as he’s gotten this season.

“If you don’t have an A game, you have to have a B game. Tonight some guys had their D game and at this level, it just can’t happen against these elite teams.

“You’re finally feeling pretty good about your game, feeling good about your team and then you take a step back like this tonight,” Thornton added.

So how many players brought their D game?

“I don’t know,” Thornton said. “You watched.”

******Likely suspects? Scott Gomez, who ended up a minus-4 for the night. Justin Braun, who was minus-3 and had a rough night all around. Tommy Wingels was another minus-3, who had the added burden of missing a penalty shot (though I don’t particularly see that as a turning point). Marc-Edouard Vlasic was also a minus-3 and let Stoll get to the net for his goal. Andrew Desjardins was one of many players who were minus-2 and looked particularly casual in the vicinity of Clifford when he scored his second goal.

*****No, we don’t have any word on why Ryane Clowe left the game late in the first period and didn’t return. We did see him walking to the bus without any obvious evidence of serious injury, but who knows.

*****That extended fight when Kyle Clifford took on the much larger Douglas Murray wasn’t Murray’s idea, in case it wasn’t obvious. The Sharks defenseman said Clifford took exception to the hit on Anze Kopitar in the previous shift and things went from there.

*****There’s more of course, but that’ll have to do for now. Except for one additonal quote from Logan Couture that does seem to get to the heart of the problem with the Sharks.

“We have to be consistent to make the playoffs,” Couture said, “and we haven’t been consistent all year.”

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

What hockey acumen does Hasso have to make people think there’s a realistic chance he’ll clean house? Who will guide him in this unfamiliar hockey world he finds himself in? This isn’t a video game or yachting. He needs a plan, a vision and direction. He leans on DW for that. I hope people are too disappointed when he does nothing.

GSDubs

Ok, count me in…I’ll be too disappointed – but not surprised

Stevo

FDW, et.al.

Rhetorical question #100. All bottom dwellers get the top draft picks.

So, can anyone extrapolate this inverse to the Sharks besides myself?

Finally, as I have already stated, teams that are legit Cup contenders for extended periods eventually have farm problems and roster problems.

Sharks and Red Wings as current examples. It’s not as much the GM as it is the dynamic of NHL roster management in the age of parity.

Renoshark

I’ll be disappointed as well. I just see Hasso as a hands off, stay competetive but let’s put butts in seats and then go yachting type of owner. Hope I’m wrong.

Stevo

Reno,

Valid thought. I have wondered who gives him hockey counsel. Since he has to go to others for evaluations on GMs, I wonder who he goes to.

As an owner, he has access (one would think) to other owners. I’d imagine he makes a few calls and starts that process.

Shark Fin

The one thing that has become clear in my head this season is that I would keep Marleau (I was already for trading Big Joe last season to get return near his high value point as I thought the Sharks needed to start rebuilding last season or last summer).

Marleau has been hustling, consistent and shown- again- that he can score. He’s even had several big checks this season. I’ve been on Patricia many times the last few years. He’s streaky and maddeningly calm when I prefer to freak out I’ve now come to the conclusion that I would keep him and as others have said above surround him with other guys. He’s been a credit to himself in this often miserable season.

Shark Fin

If Hasso is an astute businessman it will only take him until the playoff revenue combined with less regular season attendence revenue stops coming in to make some bold decisions or hire a club president who will.

GSDubs

I dont think DW managed the system/roster optimally but that doesnt really bother me that much. As you said previously, when you have a chance to go for the cup at deadline time, you go for it. No fault there. But he has done poorly with non deadline trades and the failure to change courses when the window has closed. in fact, he still doesnt recognize the window has closed. To the contrary, he has stated the core is now just coming into its prime. Yikes…are you kidding me? They peaked the year they lost to Chicago. They were heading over the other side of their peak the next year but still had enough left to be a seriousl contender. But once Bieksa’s shot went in, the window slammed shut. And here we are.

slickshark

when and who did DW make an end of the season trade for that made a difference except for the team he traded with … come on people no one is about to trade anyone you want for what you think they will take …

Stevo

In my view, I’d follow your first instict/advice and trade Jumbo/Marleau/Boyle for the best you can get.

Why?

Because you can’t get good return on players with bad stats/rep. As noted earlier, Bill Walsh knew and used that concept. Trade good guys just before they are known to be not as good as most folks believe they are.

The logic, of course, is that you get good young players to almost replace the core you traded. If that is done, your team’s performance suffers little, and maybe improves.

Is this easy? No. But a good GM will make it happen. It takes a bit of time to finish a retool that, in the same sense, doesn’t cause a big decline in performance.

DW either does or does not. No one can predict.

Though many will try…

dj

Miss Cleo can predict !!!!!!!!!!!!

Stevo

Miss Cleo isn’t the Sharks’ GM 😉

Stevo

Maybe she SHOULD be? 😉

dj

Miss Cleo certainly can not be any more wrong than DW ? like signing cup winning players in order to win a Cup ? like signing Campbell ? and many more guesses ….

dj

Miss Cleo certainly can guess like DW has been guessing for several years now.

dj

I am sure Miss Cleo can predict , no doubt about it

Stevo

…and so the thread has come to this.

Panic

San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson is reportedly in “full panic mode,” according to Bruce Garrioch’s of the Ottawa Sun, and three of the team’s pending unrestricted free agents – Ryane Clowe, Michal Handzus and Douglas Murray – are available.

Now, Garrioch is a rumor monger guy, but it is no secret that those 3 guys are available. Big deal, what else is new. Wilson in a panic mode? he’s always in a panic mode, not outwardly, but in his constant quick fix trades that left the team weak in their prospect system.

Al

Garrioch –
“RUMOURS DU JOUR: Doug Wilson has been busy working the phones. The San Jose Sharks GM isn’t pleased with the club’s inconsistency and he’s open to all options. The club’s UFA’s — LW Ryane Clowe, C Michael Handzus and D Douglas Murray — are available and sources say Wilson “is in full panic mode.” Murray is being “shopped hard” but one team backed off because of concerns about his conditioning. League executives believe Wilson is frustrated but he often stirs up discussions then doesn’t deal. The Habs, Bruins and Penguins have interest in Clowe … ”http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/03/16/buffalo-sabres-looking-to-make-moves-prior-to-nhl-trade-deadline

dj

go ahead , report me to DP . I seriously doubt that the sharks will get better soon by defeating opposing views on this blog. this team is going down fast and only the paid shills can say otherwise.

it is a team in desperate need of a complete house cleaning, get rid of older players and get on w./ the rebuild. it should have started 2 yrs ago.

I am sure Plattner don’t want to lose money or have to dip into his own pockets but a smart biz man like him hopefully could see whats going on here. DW had no ideas what a cup wining team should look like but he lucked into Jumbo and has been sitting on that trade.

I could see teams having some interest in Murray for toughness on their 3rd pair d

And interest in Clowe as a 3rd line tough guy who can’t score but can poke check from the bench

But Handzus? anyone interested in him is desperate

Sharx

Bottom line, I just don’t see any reason the Sharks are anything but “sellers” this year. Trouble is, they don’t have much to sell that will bring any return worth having. If I were the GM I’d be looking strictly for picks, not players unless someone overwhelms me with an offer. The caliber of players they are liable to be offered is no better than what they have now.

Matthew

I’ve been thinking about a WTC theme song. I only have the first verse

Hondr hates Joe
Phil sure loves Clowe
Lisa and Rose are about to come to blows

I hit writers block since. To nice of a day outside. As you can see by my avatar, I anxiously await the start of MLB… My beloved Sharks are gutting me….

Beer League Rocks

What will the Sharks do
Hope Hasso has a clue

Stevo

Hondr hates Joe
Phil sure loves Clowe
Lisa and Rose are about to come to blows
What DW will do? Heaven knows.

CforPavs

So Thorton’s relatively calm demeanor both ON the ice and IN interviews for the last 7 or so years isn’t any indication of what his true personality is like?

I’m suposed to believe that Jumbo “blisters” his teammates behind closed doors when he rarely shows any aggression except in his occasional fight or two.

How many scrums in front of the net does Jumbo start? Did Toews this year half to cross check him 4 times before Jumbo finally dropped the gloves? How about back when it took him until the Sharks were down 3 games to 1 against the Ducks to finally show some gusto and actually fight Getzlaf after Getzlaf took it to him for 4 games?

Thornton is no leader. That writing is all over the wall.

Phil

CforPavs @ 126.

Let’s dig deep here. Do you actually know what’s said on the inside? If the answer is “no”, then forgive if I find your assessment of Jumbo’s leadership questionable.

There are things we know and things we don’t. There’s no shame in not knowing things, but insisting on things without a basis in truth is a pretty silly thing to do.

Al @ 119

If we could get ANYTHING at all for Handzus, I’d make that trade in a heartbeat. The sooner, the better.

I’d be sorry to see Murray go, though I’d be surprised if there’s a question about conditioning, given the hits he throws and the shots he blocks. We’d have a big Murray shaped hole on our PK too. I’m not sure who could step in and fill that.

But I hold that trading away Clowe is one of the biggest mistakes we could make unless we’re somehow able to arrange a deal with him to sign with us next year. That has nothing to do with personal opinions — those are just the stats. Plain and simple.